Well, with Avengers: Infinity War out now, I think it’s time to rank the MCU library! Ten years ago, Iron Man kicked off the massive franchise, and since then we’ve had nineteen films! Yes, nineteen films in the most successful franchise in history (I’m basing that solely on my own thinking! Surely it must be?). They’ve ranged from fantasy, to WWII drama, to sci fi opera, to political thriller…and have ranged from great to god awful. So here’s my (definitive?) ranking of the MCU library… Continue reading
Iron Man
Review: Avengers: Infinity War (2018) (Worth The Ten Year Build?)
SPOILER-FREE
“So this is it? It’s all been leading to this”
I have no words. I have no words. Well, that was my initial reaction as the credits rolled up for Avengers: Infinity War. Hell, that was my initial reaction after the first ten minutes of Avengers: Infinity War. For ten years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building to this moment of cinema. For ten years, we’ve been waiting for this moment of cinema. Was it worth it? You bet your life it was worth it! Continue reading
Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008) (There’s Nothing Incredible About This Film!)
“You wouldn’t like me when I’m hungry”
Ten years ago, the MCU got off to a flying start with Iron Man. However, in the same year, possibly the most forgettable MCU film was released: The Incredible Hulk. I tend to forget about it (unintentionally or not!) when coming to re-watch the MCU films. But for my re-watch leading up to Avengers: Infinity War, I decided to include it. What a mistake! The Incredible Hulk is pretty, pretty bad! Continue reading
Review: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) (Time To Celebrate?)
So, Spider-Man has come back home to Marvel. Well, sort of. Sony have gone halves on Spider-Man with Marvel Studios after their first reboot of the franchise flopped. We first saw Tom Holland as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. Now, he’s got his own movie, Marvel Studios style! The critical reaction is fairly positive, with most critics comparing it to a John Hughes movie with glued in action scenes (I’ve even read a review that calls it the best Marvel film in years). I’d rate it as the best Spider-Man since Spider-Man 2, but that’s no hard feat, is it? In fact, I left the cinema disappointed. Continue reading
HAMMY’S TOP 10…COMIC BOOK FILMS!
Wonder Woman is still lighting up the global cinematic box office. Some have claimed it to be one of the greatest comic book films ever. I would disagree with that (click here for my review!), but it’s still a damned good film. However, it got me to thinking…what are my favourite comic book films of all time? That’s a tough one…But I’ve given it a whirl anyway! Of course, comic book films aren’t a genre in themselves, but cover a horde of genres.
However, we all know a comic book film when we see one. And some films surprise us when we find out they were based on a comic book/graphic novel. So here goes nothing! (By the way, a few of these films are sequels…it says a lot that the first, obligatory origin story has been played out to death nowadays. Once that’s out the way, the super-hero sequel can reach for greatness…)
HAMMY’S TOP 10…MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE FILMS!
With Guardians of the Galaxy vol.2 already released over here in the UK, and shortly to be released in the U.S., I thought it was about time that I listed my Top 10 MCU films! The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become the franchise that all film companies aspire to possess. Warner Bros have attempted to compete with the DC Universe, and we have plenty more movie ‘universes’ to come. But for now, only one is dominant, and that’s the MCU.
They’ve honed and refined a winning formula of generic origin stories, light-heartedness and humour. Most of all, the majority of them are fun to watch! There have been a few awful films (The Incredible Hulk, most of the sequels), but overall you know what you’re getting in a MCU film. That’s good for now…but will people tire of it in a few years? We’re getting three this year, for goodness sake! But for now, here are my (up-to-date) Top 10 MCU Films…
Review: Doctor Strange (2016) (Just Another MCU Origin Story With Trippy Visuals?)
“Stephen, everything is about you”
Fourteen movies in, the Marvel Cinematic Universe shows no signs of slowing down. The latest movie, ‘Doctor Strange,’ has just had an opening weekend in the US of $85 million. Not bad for a film about a superhero few people know about. As we all know, success is not a guarantor of quality. I watched ‘Doctor Strange’ when it opened here in olde England. It’s taken me a week or so to pin down my thoughts about it. Is it a quirky adventure that sets itself apart from the wider MCU? Or is it the generic MCU origin story with magic and eye-popping effects? Continue reading
Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016) (We Don’t Need Your Civil War…Or Do We?!?!)
SPOILER-FREE!
“Wherever you can compromise you do, but where you can’t, don’t”
Is Captain America: Civil War the best MCU movie yet? In more than a few reviews, the answer has been: yes. When critics fawn over something with great intensity, I usually regard the thing in question with suspicion. It also works in reverse: when critics universally slate something, I am more forgiving of it (see: Batman v Superman). After watching Captain America: Civil War more than a week ago, I’ve had more than enough time to think about it. While I thought it would be hard to top the MCU’s previous ‘best film,’ Captain America: Winter Soldier, Civil War just about tops it…I reckon it earns the title ‘best MCU film.’ Continue reading
Review: Iron Man 3 (2013) (Where’s Iron Man?)
(SPOILERS AHEAD)
“We create our own demons”
Iron Man 3 had the unenviable task of following ‘The Avengers’ (read my review here), but succeeds by reducing the ‘superhero’ element to a few scenes here and there. Iron Man 3 features very little of Tony Stark as Iron Man; instead, Stark is usually remotely controlling the Iron Man suit. The Avengers gave us some of the best superhero action scenes in comic book film history. Why attempt to better them? Iron Man 3, while not brilliant on all levels, gives us the deepest character introspection in the Marvel Universe. And the “could have been the best” Marvel Universe villain… Continue reading
Review: The Avengers (2012) (Team Work Made The Dream Work!)
(SPOILERS AHEAD)
“What can the humans do but burn?”
It’s hard to review ‘The Avengers’ without being overwhelmed by it. A film built up by five individual films, ‘The Avengers’ had to live up to masses and masses of hype. Few of the films were great, but the majority were enjoyable fare. They each contained overt and subtle hints about the over-arching story of ‘The Avengers.’ It culminated in the dream team-up of B+ superheroes. When I watched it (on opening day!), it simply rocked my world. Even after several re-watches, the film holds up as one of the best Avengers films. There are flaws and nit-picks aplenty, but The Avengers does so much right that they are easy to ignore.
Continue reading
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